Intersubjectivity

INTERSUBJECTIVITY
Humans have the

natural and universal
tendency to relate, to
establish attachments
and seek close
relationships with other
people.
HOW DO WE AS HUMAN PERSON RELATE WITH OTHERS?
Our ability to engage in meaningful
interactions with other people, our
surroundings, and everything around
us is rooted in our capacity for self-
awareness and transcendence.
Interpersonalrelations are made
possible when the self becomes
aware of the other.
“You begin talking to your
classmate, telling him or her
about a funny experience you
had in school.”
“You begin talking to the
pencil, telling it about a funny
experience you had in school.
Other human beings
also possess a self.
 Recognizing the self in
the other is how
philosophers define
interpersonal relations.
Intersubjectivity is the
mutual recognition of
each other as persons.
Intersubjectivity also
carries the meaning of
“a unique relationship
between distinct
subjects.”
This is possible because
the person has an inner life
or interiority.
Intersubjectivity also
allows a person to become
closer to others in many
different ways.
 A closer look at everyday
interactions reveals
instances where the self
interacts with the other.
 Philosophers identify
various levels of self-other
interaction.
The first is the simple
awareness of the existence
of the other.
 A deeper level of
interaction, is the
awareness of the self as
being seen by others.
 Thisself-consciousness
is considered by
philosophers as a
defining characteristic
of the self-other
relationship.
 The way we act with
other people is often
influenced by our
ideas of how these
people see us.
 These actions are referred to
as “seeming” – where an
individual presents himself or
herself in a certain way when
dealing with others.
This is considered as an
unconscious, natural act on
the part of humans.
WHAT CHARACTERIZES A GENUINE HUMAN INTERACTION?
 Since our human nature drives us to
uphold dignity and goodness, our
interactions with others are also geared
toward what is good and beneficial.
 This deeper and more genuine
interaction is called a dialogue, and this
is made possible when the self realizes
that the other is a genuine and unique
individual.
A dialogue is an interaction
between persons that
happens through speech or
the use of words, expressions,
and body language.
However, it must be noted
that a dialogue is not confined
to words.
 The dialogue,
therefore, becomes
a means by which
persons are able to
share in each other’s
lives.
The notion of a dialogue
becomes clearer when we
reflect on the nature of our
conversations with other
people.
The conversations you have
with casual acquaintances are
different from those with people
who are closest to you.
A dialogue occurs when two
person “open up” to each other
and give and receive one
another in their encounter.
Genuine dialogue occurs
when persons are willing to
share themselves with one
another.
HOW DOES INTERSUBJECTIVITY DEFINE OUR INTERACTIONS
WITH OTHER PERSONS?
Empathy, or the ability to share

emotions. This emotion is driven by a
person’s awareness that the other is
a person with thoughts and feelings.
Empathy enables us to experience
another person’s emotions, such as
happiness, anger and sadness.
Availability, or the
willingness of a person to be
present and be at the
disposal of another.
The ethics of care is an ethical
theory that emphasizes the
moral dimension of
relationships and interactions.
This moral perspective
encourages individuals to help
other people, most especially
the vulnerable.
A person that adopts this
negative view is said to be
experiencing alienation.
This arises when a person
ceases to view the other as a
distinct and authentic person
and merely considers the other
person as a mere object.
Our human nature drives us to feel
indignation against these kinds or
behavior because we know that these
actions are an insult to human dignity.
Alienation goes against the concept
of personhood because this view
discounts the humanity and dignity of
a person and leads to
dehumanization.
Society must be founded
on relationships and bonds
established through mutual
respect and recognition of
human dignity.
HOW CAN PHILOSOPHY HELP YOU EVALUATE YOUR
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS?
 Important values elated to intersubjectivity
include acceptance of differences and
embracing diversity.
 The recognition of our shred humanity and
dignity is what drives us to extend
assistance and act with concern towards
others, especially toward individuals or
groups that experience hardships and
discrimination.
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO
HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RISEN ABOVE THEIR
PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS TO LIVE PRODUCTIVE
LIVES INCLUDE:
 Helen Keller (deaf-blind)
 Nick Vujicic (phocomelia)
 Roselle Ambubuyog
(visually-impaired)

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INTERSUBJECTIVITY

Humans have the

Empathy, or the ability to share

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